It is noted that systems defined as being "intelligent" exist for independent emergency lighting systems with operational self-diagnosis, which can be programmed and displayed and which can be centralized together with the electrical supply, with assembly and extensibility possibilities as far as the level of "intelligence" is concerned, on the basis of the performances required. All of these devices have the common feature that their emergency operation is activated at the moment of a main power failure, whether they are mounted with lamps for continuous lighting or with lamps for non-continuous and only emergency lighting. Under emergency conditions, electrical power is provided by special rechargeable batteries. An appropriate microprocessor can be used to check the recharging current and voltage of the batteries, the fault detection of the circuit and the lamps with the programming and performance of a visualized periodical functional test, and the programming and performance of an independence test at programmable intervals.
The results of period fault tests and independence tests are communicated to a centralized control and monitoring unit which can be activated remotely and which is also capable of receiving and transmitting operating orders to the individual emergency units. In addition, a microprocessor circuit can be included in the battery unit for the programming/performance of period functional tests on the connected lamps and for the programming/performance of independent tests at programmable intervals with the detection of defective lamps and the deactivation of one or more lamps.
It is also known that emergency lighting systems also exist that are equipped with a sensor for gas or fumes produced by combustion and/or with a sensor with a threshold photocell, complete with a processor for the signals emitted by a sensor and with a fire alarm or a general alarm including at least one emergency lamp, in addition to a sensor of the above mentioned type.